Jacking apparatus for tubular piles and caissons



E. C. RECHTIN Oct. 16, 1962 JACKING APPARATUS FOR TUBULAR FILES ANDCAISSONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 27, 1956 INVENTOREberhard! C. Rec fin ATTORNEY Oct. 16, 1962 E. c. RECHTIN 3,058,189

JACKING APPARATUS FOR TUBULAR. PILES AND CAISSONS Original Filed Dec.27, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 77 Eberhard! C. Rec/z in 2 BY W.

3,058,189 JACKING APPARATUS FOR TUBULAR PHJES AND CAISSONS Eherhardt C.Rechtin, deceased, late of Beaumont, Tex, by The First National Bank ofBeaumont, executor, Beaumont, Tex, assignor to Bethlehem Steel Company,a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application Dec. 27, 1956, Ser.No. 630,998, new Patent No. 2,969,648, dated Jan. 31, 1961. Divided andthis application May 22, 1959, Ser. No. 815,152 11 Claims. (Cl. 24-263)This application is a division of an earlier filed copending applicationfor Mobile Drilling Platform and Method of Operation, filed December 27,1956, Serial No. 630,998, which latter application (now US. Patent2,969,648) is a continuation-in-part of an earlier filed and thencopending, but now abandoned, application for Mobile Drilling Platformand Method of Operation, filed July 26, 1955, Serial No. 524,518.

The subject of this invention is a jacking or gripping mechanism forexerting a longitudinal thrust on a tubular member such as a pile,caisson or the like. This jacking or gripping mechanism is particularlyuseful in association with mobile platforms employed in offshoreoperations such as, for example, drilling oil wells in marine locations.In such connection, the jacking or gripping mechanism can be utilized toexert a thrust on a pile or caisson whereby to lower and drive said pileor caisson into the marine floor, to extract and raise said pile orcaisson from the marine floor, to lower or raise a submersiblefoundation secured to caissons or tubular members actuated by saidjacking or gripping means, to secur an erating platform to driven piles,or for similar operations.

Briefly, the jacking or gripping mechanism comprises an annular yokeformed with upper and lower oppositely tapered conical sections, whichyoke receives in its annulus a tubular member upon which thelongitudinal thrust is to be exerted, upper and lower wedging meansengageable respectively between the upper and lower conical sections ofthe yoke and the tubular members, positioning means to positionselectively the upper or lower wedging means into operative engagementbetween the yoke and the pile thereby permitting selectively an upwardor a downward thrust upon the tubular member, and means to raise orlower said yoke.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of an improvedjacking or gripping mechanism for selectively gripping, pushing andpulling the tubular member such as a pile or caisson.

Another object of this invention relates to the means for positioningselectively the upper or lower wedges in the yoke.

A further object of this invention is the provision of means to permitthe wedge in the yoke to adjust to the eccentricity of the tubularmember in the annulus of the yoke.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

While the best embodiment of the invention known is herein described,said invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, and theillustrated embodiment is, therefore, to be regarded only as typical,and the invention is not to be confined thereto.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent likeparts in the several views:

FIG. 1 represents a partial sectional View in elevation of thisinvention, showing the wedge positioner and annular yoke adjacent atubular member such as the pile or caisson of U8. Patent 2,969,648.

FIG. 2 represents a view in plan of this invention, showing the annularyoke and wedge positioner and the tubular member gripped thereby.

FIG. 3 represents a section in plan, taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1,showing particularly the orientation of the air cylinders which actuatethe wedge positioner.

FIG. 4 represents a section in elevation, taken along the line 44 ofFIGS. 2 and 3, showing the annular yoke, one of the piston rods employedto raise, hold stationary, or lower the annular yoke relative to thefoundation structure, and the centering guides and tubular member.

FIG. 5 represents a detail of the upper bracket assembly of the wedgepositioner, with the spring omitted for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 6 represents a section in plan, taken along the line 66 of FIG. 1,showing in detail the lower bracket assembly of the wedge positionerwith the spring omitted for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 7 represents a detail of the lower bracket assembly of the wedgepositioner as viewed in elevation, with the spring omitted for purposesof clarity.

The gripping or jacking apparatus comprises annular yoke 49 withupwardly and outwardly tapered conical section 76 surmounting invertically registering relationship a downwardly and outwardly taperedconical section 77. An upper flange 78, plates 79 and a lower flange 80'are also provided. Webs 81, located about the perimeter of annular yoke49, are secured to conical sections 76 and 77, to plates 79, and tolower flange 80, thereby stiffening said annular yoke 49. Piston rods 55extend through lower flange 80 and plates 79, and maybe secured theretoby stops or nuts 82 bearing against the upper and lower facesrespectively of the said plates 79 and lower flange 80 whereby relativemovement between piston rods 55 and annular yoke 49 is prevented.

Piston rods 55 are connected to hydraulic cylinders, as shown in US.Patent 2,969,648, whereby annular yoke 49 may be raised, heldstationary, or lowered, relative to the said hydraulic cylinders andconnected foundation structure. Depending upon which set of wedges 232or 239 is engaged between annular yoke 49 and the pile 11, the said pile11 is raised, held stationary or lowered, all as explained in Us. Patent2,969,648.

Several air cylinders 213 are secured to the yoke 49, as, for instance,to and above lower flange 80. Lines 214 and 215 serve those portions ofeach air cylinder 213 above and below, respectively, the piston (notshown) in said air cylinder 213. Lines 216 and 217 are indicated in FIG.1, and run around (not shown) annular yoke 49 serving, respectively, alllines 214 and 215, and further, are connected to a suitable source ofcompressed air (not shown) for actuation of said air cylinders 213. Pipeguides 218 are vertically slidably mounted in collars 219, the latterextending through in secured relation to upper flange 78 and lowerflange 80 of annular yoke 49. Pipe guides 218 are secured to piston rods220 of air cylinders 213 by means of members 221. Wedge ring 222 issupported above annular yoke 49 by pipe guides 218, being secured to thelatter by members 223. Spaced around wedge ring 222, and securedthereto, are upper bracket assemblies 224, one at each wedge location,and each comprising pieces 225 and 226. Block 227 is pivotally mountedto and between pieces 225 and 226, and slidably receives bar 228. Bar228 is provided at its upper end, above block 227, with nut 229, and issecured at its lower end to block 230. Spring 231 is mounted around bar228 in interposed relation between the top of block 230 and the bottomof block 227, so as to urge apart said blocks 230 and 227. Upper wedge232, provided with enlarged face 23 3, has ears 234 pivotally mounted toblock 230 by means of pin 235 extending through said ears 234 and block230.

Spaced members 236, secured to yoke 49 and with keyways formed therein,slidably receive keys 237 secured to upper wedge 232. Thus, uponactuation of air cylinders 213, upper wedge 232 is movable downwardlyand inwardly into engagement between annular yoke 49 and pile 11, oroutwardly and upwardly out of engagement. At the lower end of each pipeguide 218 is lower bracket assembly 238 simultaneously serving two lowerwedges 2'39. Pivotally mounted to each lower bracket assembly 238 aretwo blocks 240, each of which slidably receives a bar 241. Each bar'241is provided at its lower end, below block 240, with a nut 242, and issecured at its upper end to block 243. Spring 244 is mounted around bar241 in interposed relation between the top of block 244 and the bottomof block 243, so as to urge apart said blocks 240 and 243. Lower wedge239, provided with enlarged face 245, has ears 246 pivotally mounted toblock 243 by means of pin 247 extending throughsaid ears 246 and block243. Spaced members 248 secured to yoke 49, and with keyways formedtherein, slidably receive keys 249 secured to lower wedge 239. Thus,upon actuation of air cylinders 213, lower wedge 239 is movable upwardlyand inwardly (FIG. 1) into engagement between annular yoke 49 and pile11, or downwardly and outwardly out of engagement. From the foregoingdescription, it will be apparent that if it is desired to place upperwedges 232 into frictional engagement between annular yoke 4% and pile11, air cylinders 213 are pressurized above their respective pistonsthrough lines 214, thereby lowering pipe guides 218, wedge ring 222, andupper wedges 232. Conversely, when it is desired to place lower wedges239 into frictional engagement between annular yoke 49 and pile 11, aircylinders 213 are pressurized below their respective pistons, therebyraising pipe guides 218 and lower wedges 239.

Other details of this invention include stop rings 250 secured to pipeguides 218 and adapted to bear against collars 219, thus defining upperand lower limits of movement of said pipe guides 218 and preventingover-travel of the latter which might damage the system. The neutralposition of pipe guides 218, wherein neither upper wedges 232 nor lowerwedges 239 are in frictional engagement between annular yoke 49 and pile11, is definable and maintainable by pins 251 insertable through pipeguides 218 to bear against collars 219 as shown in FIG. 1. Adequatecentering of annular yoke 49 about pile 11 is provided for by securinginwardly extending guides 252 and 253 to conical sections 76 and 77,respectively, of said annular yoke 49. Following good engineeringpractice, valves 254 may be placed in lines 214 and 215 to isolateindividual air cylinders without interfering with the operation of theother air cylinders.

Although the invention has been shown and described in considerabledetail, it is not to be limited to the exact construction shown anddescribed, but may include such substitutions, modifications orequivalents thereof as are embraced within the scope of the invention oras pointed out in the claims.

What is claimed is:

.1. An apparatus to grip a pile member, said apparatus comprising anannular yoke receiving said pile member and formed with a first inclinedsurface and a second incli'ned surface, a first member insertablebetween said first inclined surface and said pile member tounidirectionally engage said yoke and said pile member in a firstdirection, a second member inser'table between said second inclinedsurface and said pile member to unidirectionally engage said yoke andsaid pile member in a second direction, a third member slidably mountedto said yoke, first resilient means pivotally secured to said thirdmember and also pivotally secured to said first member, second resilientmeans pivotally secured to said third member and also pivotally securedto said second member, and means to reciprocate said third memberrelative to said yoke to engage said first member between said yoke andsaid pile member and simultaneously to disengage said second member orselectively to engage said second member between said yoke and said pilemember and simultaneously to disengage said first member, furtherincluding means to restrict substantial movement of said annular yoke ina direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pile member duringreciprocation of said third member.

2. Apparatus to grip a member comprising a yoke, first means operativelyinterposable between said yoke and said member to unidirectionallyengage said yoke and said member in a first direction, second meansoperatively interposable between said yoke and said member tounidirectionally engage said yoke and said member in a second direction,third means reciprocably mounted to said yoke for movement in adirection parallel to the axis of the member, and resilient meansoperatively interposed between said third means and said first andsecond means, whereby reciprocation of said third means resiliently engages said first means between said yoke and said member andsimultaneously disengages said second means or selectively resilientlyengages said second means between said yoke and said member andsimultaneously disengages said first means, further including fourthmeans to restrict substantial movement of said yoke in a directionparallel to the longitudinal axis of the member during reciprocation ofsaid third means.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2, said third means comprising a rod memberslidably mounted to said yoke, and raising and lowering means connectedto said rod member to reciprocate the same relative to said yoke, andsaid resilient means comprising first spring means operativelyinterposed between said rod member and said first means, and secondspring means operatively interposed between said rod member and saidsecond means.

4. Apparatus as in claim 2., said third means comprising a rod memberhaving first and second ends and slidably mounted to said yoke, andraising and lowering means connected to said rod member intermediate thefirst and second ends thereof to reciprocate said rod member relative tosaid yoke, and said resilient means comprising first spring meansoperatively interposed between the first end of said rod member and saidfirst means, and second spring means operatively interposed between thesecond end of said rod member and said second means.

5. Apparatus as in claim 2, further including vertically arranged guideplates secured to said yoke and extending towards said member in closeproximity thereto to substantially center said member in said yoke.

6. Apparatus to grip a member comprising an annular yoke receiving saidmember and for-med with a first inclined surface and a second inclinedsurface, a plurality of first wedges spaced about the member andengageable between said first inclined surface and said member tounidirectionally engage said yoke and said member in a first direction,a plurality of second wedges spaced about the member and engageablebetween said second inclined surface and said member to unidirectionallyengage said yoke and said member in a second direction, positioningmeans reciprocably mounted to said yoke for movement in a directionparallel to the axis of the member, and resilient means operativelyinterposed between said positioning means and said first and secondwedges, whereby reciprocation of said positioning means resilientlyengages simultaneously all of said first wedges between said firstinclined surface and said member and simultaneously disengages saidsecond wedges or selectively resiliently engages simultaneously all ofsaid second wedges between said second inclined surface and said memberand simultaneously disengages said first wedges, further including meansto restrict substantial movement of said annular yoke in a directionparallel to the longitudinal axis of the member during reciprocation ofsaid positioning means.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6, said positioning means comprising rod meansslidably mounted to said yoke, and raising and lowering means connectedto said rod means to reciprocate the same relative to said yoke, andsaid resilient means comprising first spring means operativelyinterposed between said rod means and said first wedges, and secondspring means operatively interposed between said rod means and saidsecond wedges.

8. Apparatus as in claim 6, said positioning means comprising rod meansslidably mounted to said yoke, and raising and lowering means connectedto said rod means to reciprocate the same relative to said yoke, andsaid resilient means comprising a plurality of first spring means eachoperatively inter-posed between one of said first Wedges and said rodmeans, and a plurality of second spring means each operativelyinterposed between one of said second wedges and said rod means.

9. Apparatus as in claim 6, said positioning means comprising rod meanshaving first and second ends and slidably mounted to said yoke, andraising and lowering means connected to said rod means intermediate thefirst and second ends thereof to reciprocate said rod means relative tosaid yoke, and said resilient means comprising first spring means andsecond spring means operatively interposed between the first and secondends of said rod means and said first and second wedges respectively.

10. Apparatus as in claim 6, further including a plurality of verticallyarranged guide plates secured to said yoke and extending inwardlytowards said member in close proximity thereto to substantially centersaid member in said yoke.

11. Apparatus to grip a member comprising:

(a) an annular yoke surrounding said member,

(b) first and second oppositely inclined wedging surfaces on the innerface of said annular yoke adjacent said member,

(c) a plurality of first wedges spaced about the member and engageablebetween said first inclined wedging surface and said member tounidirectionally engage said annular yoke and said member in a firstdirection,

(0!) a plurality of second wedges spaced about the member and engageablebetween said second inclined wedging surface and said member tounidirectionally engage said annular yoke and said member in a seconddirection,

(2) wedge positioning means having first and second ends and slidablymounted to said annular yoke for movement in a direction parallel to thelongitudinal axis of said member,

(1) actuating means connected to said wedge position- 6 ing meansintermediate the first and second ends thereof and operativelyinterposed between said wedge positioning means and said annular yoke toreciprocate said wedge positioning means relative to said annular yokeand said member,

(g) a plurality of first elongated spring means each pivotally securedat one end thereof to said wedge positioning means and also pivotallysecured at the other end thereof to one of said first wedges, and

(h) a plurality of second elongated spring means each pivotally securedat one end thereof to said wedge positioning means and also pivotallysecured at the other end thereof to one of said second wedges,

(1') whereby reciprocation of said wedge positioning means engagessimultaneously all of said first wedges between said first inclinedwedging surface and said member and simultaneously disengages all ofsaid second wedges or selectively engages simultaneously all of saidsecond wedges between said second inclined wedging surface and saidmember and simultaneously disengages all of said first wedges, and

(j) whereby uniformity of engagement with said member among all saidfirst wedges or selectively all said second wedges is provided, furtherincluding (k) means to restrict substantial movement of said annularyoke in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said memberduring reciprocation of said wedge positioning means.

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